The season is just six weeks old, but twice already Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees has used his weekly news conference to offer an impassioned defense of his unit, which was expected to be among the best in the league but ranks 16th overall and 30th against the run.
At his weekly session Oct. 19, Pees said, "I'm not doom and gloom. I'm not going to buy into that crap. We're a pretty damn good defense, and if we quit giving up the big plays, we’ll be a damn good one statistically."
During the Ravens' 27-24 overtime loss to Chicago Oct. 15, the Bears rushed 54 times for 231 yards, the most rushing yards ever allowed by the Ravens. That included a 53-yard run by Jordan Howard in overtime that led to the game-winning field goal. Pees stressed that without that run, the Bears would have averaged 3.3 yards a carry.
